This week we’re joined by Lionel Benjamin, the co-founder of AGO Hotels. We discuss the launch of AGO Hotels, the company’s hybrid profit lease business model and the challenges of launching a new venture in the midst of a pandemic.

This week we spoke to Will Davies, Director at HBD Partners and co-founder of Checking-IN, the inter hotel LGBTQ+ network. He spoke about his transition from hands-on hospitality to recruitment, how the industry has evolved in its approach to talent acquisition and the work Checking-IN does to support the LGBTQ+ community within hospitality.

This week we are joined by Jim Cockell, the owner of the boutique hotel The Old Stocks Inn. We discussed Jim’s decision to acquire the hotel back in 2014 and what he learned during the significant renovation project that followed, what skills he thinks are needed to create a successful revenue management strategy and why hoteliers should always look out for opportunities to diversify their revenue streams.

This week we spoke to Eljesa Saciri, General Manager of The Zetter Marylebone. Eljesa spoke about her strong advocacy for equality within the industry, what can be done to break down barriers for other women in hospitality, how to encourage young people to begin their own career journeys, and the importance of having difficult conversations to further progress.

This week we are joined by Giles Fuchs, owner of the iconic Burgh Island Hotel. We spoke about how it has been brought up to date with renovations, the new hotel-like staff accommodation that's just opened, and how it's intended to attract and retain staff in a tough recruitment environment, and why Giles feels it's time to sell and get back to full-time on his existing serviced office business.

This week we’re joined by Neil Taylor, the General Manager of YOTEL Glasgow. In this episode, Neil explains how his passion for hospitality developed at a young age, the importance of strong communication with your team as a General Manager, and how the industry can best attract and retain employees.

This week we’re joined by Martin Terry, Director of Sales at Stapleford Park. Martin talks to us about the ins and outs of targeting sales and staying competitive, the importance of connecting with customers to better understand your business, and what we can expect to see in the hotel events market this coming year.

On this episode we are joined by Emlyn Brown, Global Senior Vice President of Wellbeing at Accor. We discussed the challenges of overseeing a wellness and wellbeing strategy across multiple brands, his tips for independent hoteliers and what he calls the 'me to we' revolution.

This week we are joined by Marc Roeberson, the new COO of Clink Hostels. He tells us about the sixth instalment of Clink’s property portfolio, the importance of a strong CSR programme, and what he thinks the accommodation market will look like in the coming months.

This week we speak to Lee Pickersgill, Energy Manager at Valor Hospitality. Lee talks about what he learned during his time with the Royal Engineers, how he helps Valor reduce its energy usage across its portfolio, and what sustainable initiatives are set to emerge in the industry.